Need border help

[Chainone]

Hello all

 

I have a spiral hex pattern I have been working for a while and I need to figure out a good way to finish it off. I would like to straighten the edges, but I don't want it to contrast too much with the pattern.

 

Anyone have any good ideas? Or maybe you know of other borders for hex motif patterns that might give me some ideas?

 

Thanks in advance

 

[nancybanta]

With a pattern that intricate and busy I wouldn't make anything fancy because it will take away from the afghan.  I'd do a simple single crochet - once or twice around - no more than that.

[Chainone]

With a pattern that intricate and busy I wouldn't make anything fancy because it will take away from the afghan.  I'd do a simple single crochet - once or twice around - no more than that.

It is more of  a mini-table-cloth or a large doily. Originally it was supposed to be a bedspread but they stopped making the type thread I was using, so I got caught in the lurch. 

 

I don't know about single crochet .... I was hoping for something to give those edge spirals some "finality" ... a way of finishing it to make it look as if I had the border planned all along haha

 

Thank you for responding though

[RoseRed]

How about a sc with picots on the points.

[SunnyInDenmark]

Very pretty!

 

Can you make half hexagons with this pattern?  Start with half the number of stitches in your center circle (or maybe just 1/3), then crochet back and forth in rows.  Then, at least, you can get a nice rectangle or circle/hexagon (depending, I can't tell from your picture) out of it.  

 

I also think just a single row of sc around will give it a finished look without looking busy.  Too much of a border will detract from the neat spirals.

[Granny Square]

I was also thinking along the lines of what Sunny  suggested, a third of a spiral - only thing you'd have to turn it, so the stitches won't exactly look like the main piece.  You could join as you go, grabbing the sides of the V at each edge.

 

Maybe a mini-spiral between each valley, that is just the first few rows of the pattern.  It won't make a rectangle, but will help to fill the scallop valleys.

 

Or, the row of stitches around, except stopping short of each valley and making a shell stitch into the bottom of the valley, using tallish stitches (DTR maybe--you might need 7-9 stitches per shell to fill it up--or maybe stitch, chain, stitch, chain to make a spoke effect).  Adding picots as you go would look nice with this.

[Chainone]

I tried doing half or third hexagons and they didn't look right .... mainly because the work is turned, rather than in the round like the rest of the pattern. It made every other row look off. I think if I was going to do sections of a hexagon, I would have to finish off at the end of each row to make it match, but that would be 14 little threads to hide in the same place and it would not look good.

 

I will try a section with the picots, that might be more realistic.

[LI Roe]

I think sc with picots would finish it off nicely, not too plain or too busy, just enough of an interesting pattern.

Good luck and have fun. Please post a pic when you have it all done.

 

Roe

[Chainone]

OK, this is a test run for some picots. Please give honest feedback

My concern is that the picots on the chains don't look right.

Obviously, it is a little "curly" since it is not washed and blocked yet

 

[SunnyInDenmark]

I tried doing half or third hexagons and they didn't look right .... mainly because the work is turned, rather than in the round like the rest of the pattern. It made every other row look off. 

 

You could always try backwards crocheting every other row.  You insert the hook from behind but otherwise do the stitch like normal.  It makes your work look like it was all crocheted from one side instead of flipped every other row.  It takes a little bit to get used to 

 

 

OK, this is a test run for some picots. Please give honest feedback

My concern is that the picots on the chains don't look right.

Obviously, it is a little "curly" since it is not washed and blocked yet

 

I'm not sure about the picots.  They don't really match the look of the rest of the work.  I think just a row of sc around the whole thing would look cleaner and more elegant.  If you like the way they look in general, I think I would omit them from the chains.

[Granny Square]

I think if you are using picots they should be more frequent, like every other stitch or every third stitch.  They really don't 'show up' in your sample.

 

Another thought, what about a border of DC (give or take picots)? You could do a couple of DC-2-or-3-tog in the valleys, or skip some stitches so the they don't ruffle.  (I do a lot fiddling and ripping out, can you tell? )

[Chainone]

I looked at it again today and I think the picots just don't work. I did a little playing around with scs, dcs, and a few other things. A row of scs didn't really add anything to it, it was barely noticeable. Same with dcs, since most of the project is dc they just blend in without giving a border effect. And of course there is the problem of how to bridge those gaps of ch-7s. 

 

Another possibility is a few rows of scs with lots of increases for a ruffle effect. I might test that later, but it might be tricky on the corners. 

 

Sigh. It is my own fault for not planning ahead LOL.